For the past 62 years of Nigeria as an independent country, the government has been generous and kind enough to subsidize gari, ponmo, iru, ogiri, beef, goat meat, dog meat, chicken, fish, turkey, pepper, and palm oil.
The prevalence of these subsidies has been known for some decades. But the enormous scope and its disturbing implications are only now becoming clear. No one is sure exactly how much was stolen. But one thing we know very well is that the cups of subsidy scammers are full and overflowing to the extent that one of the recipients warned former President Buhari that he was making too much money from subsidies. He begged the president to remove the subsidies.
The subsidy beneficiaries- producers and marketers of foodstuffs and meats - are grifters. A grifter is a con artist: someone who swindles people out of money through fraud. If there's one type of person you don't want to trust, it's a grifter: someone who cheats others out of money. Also known as chiselers, defrauders, gougers, scammers, swindlers, and flim-flam men, grifters are making life miserable, unlivable, and indeed unbearable for poor Nigerians.
As a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, we must listen to Nigerians. We must care. We must be concerned. We must be responsive. We must act according to the wishes of our people. We can no longer fold our arms and legs, close our eyes and ears, and shut our brains and mouths to the pain and suffering of our people. Because of these subsidies, our people cannot breathe. They are suffocated. They are dying daily.
Most of the money that should have gone into education, health, electricity, water, roads, bridges, public transport, housing, hospitals, pensions, and other social services was gulped by subsidies. We have denied Nigerians of these vital services for so long. Now your government is ready and willing to take the subsidy bulls by the horns and damn the consequences. We must act before it’s too little and too late.
From today all subsidies real and imagined, spiritual and physical, political and economic, necessary and unnecessary, practical and essential on gari, ponmo, iru, ogiri, beef, goat meat, dog meat, chicken, fish, turkey, yam, pepper, onion, and palm oil have been removed for good. The subsidy removal is a small temporary sacrifice for Nigerians for their tomorrow’s prosperity and abundance. No pain no gain.
Nigerians are the most resilient people in the world. They were born in suffering. They grew up in suffering and poverty. They live in suffering. They are used to the hard life. If they could survive the Buhari-Emefiele manufactured cash crunch, definitely they’ll survive without subsidies. Rest assured, your government is on your side. Your government is working overdrive to dig you out of the rabbit hole. Meanwhile, go to the mountains. Fast and pray. Call on the God of your forefathers. He will fight your battles. Don’t worry, be happy!